Blouse front closer

ABSTRACT

A blouse front closer includes a strip connected by adhesive to the overlapping facing surfaces of the panels of the blouse preferably at and between the buttons of the blouse to hold the blouse closed. The intermediate segment of the strip may have no adhesive applied thereto for surrounding the button connector, and the blouse front closer may be formed of hook and loop patches for connecting the blouse panels together.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

Applicant claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/710,711 filed Aug. 23, 2005.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention concerns an attachment to a blouse for holding closed the openings of a blouse at and between the buttons of the blouse to avoid the occurrence of inadvertent opening of the blouse.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A typical woman's blouse is formed with a pair of opposed front panels with overlapping edges, with one of the front panels having a series of buttons, snaps or other connectors attached thereto by threads or other type connectors, and the second front panel having a series of buttonholes or other receivers for receiving the buttons, etc. of the first front panel. In some circumstances, the blouse panels tend to separate between the buttons or the buttons release from the button holes, forming an undesirable opening in the front of the garment. For example, the separation might be due to the blouse properly fitting across the shoulders but not across the bosom, or due to the movement of the wearer of the blouse, or due to the particular fabric and the spacing of the buttons of the blouse. It is to this problem that this invention is directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly described, the present invention concerns a blouse front closer for use on a blouse or similar garment that opens at the front and which includes opposed first and second front panels with overlapping edges. The first front panel of the blouse has a series of buttons or other types of connectors, referred to herein as “buttons.” The buttons may be attached to the blouse by button connectors, usually threads. A second front panel has a series of buttonholes or other type receivers referred to herein as “button holes” for receiving the buttons of the first front panel. When the blouse is first donned, the buttonholes are aligned over the buttons and the buttons pass through the holes. This invention includes a blouse front closer having an elongated connector strip that is positioned between the overlapping edges of the first and second panels of the blouse.

In one embodiment of the invention the connector strip adhesively connects together the overlying edges of the blouse, thus avoiding the formation of gaps between the buttons. The connector strip may have a releasable adhesive material applied to its opposite surfaces. Peel-away strips are applied to the releasable adhesive material for protecting the adhesive before use, and for selectively exposing the adhesive when the connector strip is to be applied to the overlying surfaces of the front panels of the blouse.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a recess is formed in one of the edges of the elongated connector strip, intermediate the ends of the connector strip. The recess is for placement on the blouse about the connector of a button of the first front panel of the blouse. This permits the remaining length of the connector strip to be aligned with and extend between adjacent buttons, so as to avoid exposure beyond the outer edge of the outer front panel of the blouse, and to strengthen the blouse front panels at the most necessary location.

Preferably, the elongated connector strip is translucent and without a discernable color so that it is clear and becomes substantially invisible when properly placed in a blouse as described above. Also, the connector strip may be made of colors, if desired, to match with the color of the blouse.

The connector strip may be of any desirable length and width and can be provided in end-to-end connected supply. For example, the supply of connector strips may be packaged in the form of an elongated reel of the connector strips, or in a fan folded supply, so that the wearer can retrieve the desired length of the blouse front closers for a particular blouse.

In another embodiment of the invention, the elongated strip has an intermediate space where there is no adhesive applied to its surfaces, with the recess formed in the non-adhesive intermediate section. This permits the wearer to more easily place the connector strip in its desired position, with the recess surrounding the connector threads of the button before the peel-away protective strips are removed from the connector strip. This allows accurate alignment, added strength and placement of the connector strip before it is adhered to the blouse.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the intermediate portion of the connector strip can be made of reinforced material so that it is less flexible and tends to retain its shape behind the button of the blouse, tending to avoid the unsightly collapse of the portion of the blouse adjacent the button.

The elongated connector strip is made of flexible material that can be trimmed by conventional scissors to be formed in any desired shape, to be compatible with blouses that have buttons that are closely spaced.

Yet another embodiment of the invention includes a hook and loop fastener that is connected to the edges of the blouse front. The loop patches may be applied to both the facing surfaces of the overlying blouse panels and hook patches may be positioned between the loop patches, such that the intermediate hook patches cling to the loop patches and hold the blouse panels closed. Or only a mating pair of hook and loop patches may be used.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an expanded view of the opposed first and second front panels of a blouse, and the blouse front closer shown between the overlapping edges of the panels.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the blouse front closer, showing it applied to the placket of a blouse.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a modified form of the blouse front closer.

FIG. 4 is a perspective illustration of a series of blouse front closers manufactured in continuous form and stored in a reel configuration.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second form of the blouse closer.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the blouse closer of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an expanded perspective view of a hook and loop connector positioned between the overlapping blouse panels.

FIG. 8 is an expanded perspective view of another type hook and loop connector positioned between the overlapping blouse panels.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 illustrates a blouse front closer 10 that is applied between a first or inner front panel 12 of a blouse and a second or outer front panel 14 of the blouse. The blouse includes a series of buttons, such as button 16, and buttonholes, such as buttonhole 18, and the outer front panel is connected to the inner front panel in the conventional way by passing the buttonhole 18 about the button 16.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the blouse front closer 10 usually will be positioned against the outer surface of the inner front panel 12, adjacent button 16, and against the inside surface of the outer front panel 14.

The blouse front closer 10 of FIG. 1 includes an elongated connector strip 20 that has opposed first surface 22 and second surface 24, opposed longitudinal side edges 26 and 28, and opposed end edges 30 and 32.

Adhesive is applied to both the opposed first and second surfaces 22 and 24, as represented by the “X” marks applied to the first surface 22. It is desirable that the elongated connector strip 20 be sufficiently flexible in order to bend with the blouse, maintaining the shape of the blouse in a natural configuration. Mylar tape can form the material of the connector tape. The elongated connector strip usually will be between ½ to ¾ inches wide, and of a length that is sufficient to span the spaces between the adjacent buttons of a blouse, usually up to six inches in length, to extend about 3 inches on opposite sides of a button. The connector strip is easily cut by conventional scissors so that it can be reduced in length and width so as to be compatible with the spacing of the buttons of the blouse.

The elongated connector strip 20 can be formed of 0.007 Clear Polyester G/G PT2. This material is generally known as tear-resistant plastic.

Another tape material that is suitable for use in the blouse front closer is Shurtape 205190, described as DF 642 NAT-24MM X 23M - 36ris/cs-C.

While the foregoing described tapes are suitable for this intended purpose, other types of tapes can be utilized as may be desired. The tape that is to be applied to the blouse surfaces should be a double-faced tape so as to adhere to both of the overlying edges of the panels of the blouse and leave no residue.

Peel-away strips of conventional design 34 and 36 are applied to the adhesive layers on both sides of the connector strip 20 for the purpose of protecting the adhesive prior to using the connector strip. The peel away strips 44, 46 may be formed of a length that extends beyond the adhesive, such as at end portions 37 to facilitate removal of the peel away strips. This is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 1 shows a side recess 38 that is formed in one of the longitudinal side edges 26, 28 and through the overlying peel-away strips 34 and 36 of the connector strip 20. The side recess 38 is for the purpose of placing the blouse front closer 10 on the inner front panel 12 of the blouse, with the recess extending about the connecting threads or other type connector that extends between the button 16 and the inner front panel 12. This allows the elongated connector strip 20 to extend in alignment with the row of buttons of the blouse, and generally avoids having the elongated connector strip from protruding laterally beyond the outer edge 15 of the outer front panel 14.

The recess 38 also places the adhesive and the portion of the connector strip adjacent the recess in a U-shaped arrangement about the button and button hole so as to support the material immediately adjacent the button and button hole.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, an elongated connector strip 40 can be produced and used generally as illustrated and described above, but the connector strip 40 is formed with a center section 41 and opposed end sections 42 and 43. The opposed end sections 42 and 43 are formed in the manner as described above, including double-faced adhesive material and peel-away strips (not shown). The center section 41 does not have adhesive applied to either surface thereof so that it does not tend to cling to either of the inner or outer front panels of the blouse and may be easily moved around the button of the blouse when the connector strip is first being placed about the button.

With the arrangement of FIG. 2, the wearer of the blouse can freely place the connector strip 40 in the desired location before removing the peel-away strips, thereby assuring proper placement and alignment of the connector strip. Also, the center section 41 tends to keep the end sections 42 and 43 spaced apart to keep the blouse from forming a bulge or wrinkle at the button.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the invention, similar to that of FIG. 2, but including a protruding side recess 48, similar to design and function as the side recess 38 of FIG. 1. The embodiment of FIG. 3 also includes a center section 50 that does not include adhesive on either of its opposed surfaces.

The blouse front closer can be applied with its side recess, such as side recess 38 of FIG. 1, facing in either direction, either toward or away from the side edge 13 of the inner front panel. It is anticipated that the blouse front closer will be used more often with its recess facing away from the side edge 13 of the inner front panel. This assures that the remaining portion of the blouse front closer will be spaced away from the side edge of the outer front panel. Further, FIG. 3 emphasizes the offset of the side recess 48 so that the remaining portion of the elongated connector strip can be displaced even farther away from the side edge 15 of the outer front panel 14.

The elongated connector strip can be manufactured in a continuous form as illustrated in FIG. 4, and accumulated in a supply for continuous retrieval, such as in a reel 54 or a fan-fold shape. Tear lines 56 can be formed between the strips to facilitate separation of the strips from the supply.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show another embodiment of the invention. The blouse front closer 60 includes a central segment 62 that is formed of flexible plastic material, preferably transparent. A buttonhole 64 is formed through the central segment, with a slot 65 intersecting the buttonhole 64 from the lateral edge of the central segment. This is for the purpose of sliding the central segment 62 of the blouse front closer 60 toward a button, with the connectors of the button, such as threads, sliding through the slot 65 and coming to rest in the buttonhole 64. The button is positioned on one side of the central segment and the blouse panel that supports the button on the other side. The central segment 62 may not extend the full length of the blouse front closer 60. At each end of the central segment there is an end connector 66 and 67. The end connectors 66 and 67 are each formed of two plies 68 and 69 of double-faced adhesive strip material that have their facing surfaces placed in adhering overlying relationship, with peel-away protective strips 71 and 72 overlying the outwardly facing adhesive surfaces. The adjacent ends 74 and 75 of the plies of double-faced adhesive strip material overlie and grasp the opposed edges of the central segment 62, therefore being firmly connected to the central segment.

When the blouse front closer 60 of FIGS. 5 and 6 is to be used, the wearer usually will remove the peel-away protective strips 71 from the end connectors 66 and 67, exposing the adhesive on one side of the blouse front closer. The exposed adhesive portion of the blouse front closer is then applied to the blouse, by sliding the central segment about a button until the button is received at the buttonhole 64, and then pressing the exposed adhesive surfaces against the blouse. The wearer of the blouse then would button the blouse panels together and remove the opposite peel-away strips 72 from the blouse front closer and press the other panel of the blouse into contact with the blouse front closer. This firmly connects together the overlying edges of the blouse front closer so as to avoid the occurrence of separation of the overlying edges of the blouse.

FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment of the invention that utilizes hook and loop fasteners at the blouse front. The hook and loop fasteners 80 include an inside patch 82, and outside patch 84 that is a mirror image of the inside patch 82, and an intermediate connector 86. Both the inside patch 82 and the outside patch 84 comprise the loop portions of the conventional hook and loop fasteners, while the intermediate connector includes the hook fastener segments. As illustrated by inside patch 82, a substrate sheet 88 is adhesively applied to the inside panel 90 of a blouse front, with the loops facing away from the inside panel 90 of the blouse. In a like manner, the outside patch 84 is adhesively applied to the inside surface of the outside panel of the blouse 91, its loops facing inwardly of the blouse.

The intermediate connector 86 has patches 92 with J-shaped connectors, the patches being adhesively mounted to a substrate 96 on one surface of the substrate, and similar patches 94 with J-shaped connectors mounted to the other side of the substrate 96. With this arrangement, the loops of the hook and loop fastener 80 face in opposite directions from intermediate connector 86. A recess 98 is formed in the intermediate edge portion of the inside patch 82 for straddling the threads 17 of the button 16 and a similar recess 99 is formed in the intermediate edge portion of the connector 86 for the same purpose. A recess 100 is formed in the intermediate edge portion of the outside patch 84 for partially surrounding the button hole 18.

Before use, protective strips like those shown in FIG. 1 are applied to the adhesive surfaces of the inside patch and outside patch, protecting the adhesive from inadvertent adherence to other objects. Typically, the hook and loop fastener 80 will be sold with the inside and outside patches 82 and 84 adhered to the opposed patches 92 and 94 of the intermediate connector, making a compact and convenient product.

When the hook and loop fastener 80 of FIG. 7 is put to use, inside patch 82 and outside patch 84 are peeled away from the intermediate connector 86. The protective sheet (not shown) is stripped away from the adhesive surface of the substrate sheet of each patch and each patch is adhesively connected to a facing surface of the inside panel 90 and outside panel 91 of the blouse. The recesses 98 and 100 of the inside and outside patches 82 and 84 will be arranged around the threads 17 or other connectors of the button and around the button hole 18 of the blouse, with the edge of the patches displaced from the edges of the inside and outside panels 90 and 91 of the blouse.

Once the blouse has been donned by the wearer, the intermediate connector 86 is inserted between the inside patch 82 and outside patch 84 of the hook and loop fastener of FIG. 7, and the layers of the fastener are firmly pressed together so as to adhere the outside panel 91 of the blouse to the inside panel 90 of the blouse, firmly connecting the panels of the blouse together about the button.

With this arrangement, the inside patch 82 and outside patch 84 of the hook and loop fastener 80 of FIG. 7 may be left in place once the garment has been removed from the wearer, and the garment may be re-used by simply replacing the intermediate connector 86 back between the inside patch 82 and outside patch 84 during the next time the garment is worn.

FIG. 8 illustrates a hook and loop fastener that has only mating hook and loop patches 105 and 106, each being adhesively connected to the facing surfaces of the overlying panels 107 and 108 of a blouse. One patch 105 is a hook patch and the other is a loop patch. A recess 110 of one patch surrounds the threads 17 of the button 16 and a similar recess 111 of the other patch surrounds the button hole 18.

Before use, protective strips like those shown in FIG. 1 are applied to the adhesive surfaces of the patches of FIG. 8, protecting the adhesive from inadvertent adherence to other objects. Typically, the hook and loop fastener 80 will be sold with the patches adhered to each other by their hooks and loops, making a compact and convenient product.

Like the connector of FIG. 7, the connector of FIG. 8 may be formed with a intermediate space on the substrate that does not include the hooks and loops

Although preferred embodiments of the invention has been disclosed in detail herein, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications of the disclosed embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

1. A blouse front closer for use on a blouse having a front opening defined by opposed first and second front panels with overlapping edges, with the first front panel having a series of buttons attached thereto by button connectors and the second front panel having a series of button holes for receiving the buttons of the first front panel, said blouse front closer comprising: an elongated connector strip having first and second opposed surfaces, opposed longitudinal edges and end edges, releasable adhesive material applied to both said first and second opposed surfaces of said elongated connector strip, a peel away strip applied to said releasable adhesive material of each said first and second opposed surfaces of the elongated connector strip for protecting the adhesive and for selectively exposing the adhesive, and a recess formed in at least one of said opposed longitudinal edges of said elongated strip for placement on the blouse about the connector of a button of the first front panel of the blouse, such that the peel away strip is removed from the adhesive of the first opposed surface of the elongated connector strip and the first surface of the opposed elongated connector strip is applied to the first front panel of the blouse with the button connector received in the recess of the elongated connector strip, the peel away strip of the second opposed surface is removed from the elongated connector strip and the button of the first panel is moved through a button hole of the second panel of the blouse and the second panel of the blouse is applied to the second opposed surface of the elongated connector strip.
 2. The blouse front closer of claim 1, wherein the connector strip is translucent.
 3. The blouse front closer of claim 1, wherein said connector strip is formed with a center section and opposed end sections on opposite sides of said center section, said center section having no adhesive applied thereto.
 4. The blouse front closer of claim 3, wherein said recess is formed in said center section.
 5. In combination, a blouse having a front opening defined by opposed first and second front panels with overlapping edges, with the first front panel having a series of buttons attached thereto by button connectors and the second front panel having a series of button holes for receiving the buttons of the first front panel, a blouse front closer applied to said blouse comprising: an elongated connector strip having first and second opposed surfaces, opposed longitudinal edges and end edges, releasable adhesive material applied to both said first and second opposed surfaces of said elongated connector strip, a peel away strip applied to said releasable adhesive material of each said first and second opposed surfaces of the elongated connector strip for protecting the adhesive and for selectively exposing the adhesive, and a recess formed in at least one of said opposed longitudinal edges of said elongated strip for placement on the blouse about the connector of a button of the first front panel of the blouse, such that the peel away strip is removed from the adhesive of the first opposed surface of the elongated connector strip and the first surface of the opposed elongated connector strip is applied to the first front panel of the blouse with the button connector received in the recess of the elongated connector strip, the peel away strip of the second opposed surface is removed from the elongated connector strip and the button of the first panel is moved through a button hole of the second panel of the blouse and the second panel of the blouse is applied to the second opposed surface of the elongated connector strip.
 6. A blouse front closer for use on a blouse having a front opening defined by opposed first and second front panels with overlapping edges, with the first front panel having a series of buttons attached thereto by button connectors and the second front panel having a series of button holes for receiving the buttons of the first front panel, said blouse front closer comprising: a connector for positioning between the panels of the blouse, the connector including a pair of patches for attaching to the facing surfaces of the first and second front panels of the blouse and an intermediate connector for adhering to said pair of patches.
 7. The blouse front connector of claim 6, wherein the patches are both formed with a looped surface and the intermediate connector is formed with opposed hooked surfaces for connection to the loop surfaces.
 8. The blouse front closer of claim 6, wherein a recess is formed in pairs of patches for placement on the blouse about the connector of a button of the first front panel of the blouse.
 9. The blouse front closer of claim 6, wherein the blouse front connector is translucent.
 10. A blouse front closer for use on a blouse having a front opening defined by opposed first and second front panels with overlapping edge portions, with the overlapping edge portion of the first front panel having at least one button attached thereto by button connectors and the overlapping edge of the second front panel having at least one button hole for receiving the button of the first front panel, said blouse front closer comprising: a connector for positioning between the overlapping portions of the panels of the blouse, the connector including a pair of patches for attaching to the facing surfaces of the first and second front panels of the blouse, both connectors having opposed side edges and opposed surfaces with one surface of both patches bearing an adhesive and the other surface of one patch bearing hook fasteners and the other surface of the other patch bearing loop fasteners, a recess formed in an edge of each patch, such that one patch is adhesively attached to one panel of the blouse and its recess receives the threads of the blouse button and the other patch is adhesively attached to the other panel of the blouse and its recess surrounds the button hole that receives the button.
 11. The blouse front closer of claim 10, wherein the recesses of both patches face the edges of the panels of the blouse. 